Unexpected
by Carrotcakebliss
Summary: What if Olivia ran into Elliot, after all this time, with Cassidy by her side?


I haven't written fan fiction for SVU in over three years. This was something that's stuck in my mind and of course, there's more coming if people are interested. Thank you to Lauren for the beta and to my best friend S, for everything.

Part 1

She's not sure if she ever fully expected to see him again, and she definitely didn't figure that if it were to happen, it would be in a crowded bar with Cassidy's arm around her waist. Then again, with the way things have gone lately – it almost makes perfect sense.

"Elliot."

She feels Brian's body tense next to hers at the sound of Elliot's name on her lips, but she doesn't chance a look at his face. Honestly, she's never given much thought to what his reaction might be because she didn't plan for such an encounter. Now that it's in motion, she wonders briefly if the way Brian's arm curls tighter around her, pulling her flush to his side, is out of jealousy, or even insecurity. But she can only allow a moment of concern for the possibility before her focus is back on the man in front of her; the one she hasn't seen in years.

The one who left without a word.

His eyes flicker between her and the man at her side before they land back on her face. "Hey, Liv. Good to see you."

She can't help but feel her stomach drop at his niceties. _Is it? Is it good to see me? _She wants to say it out loud and challenge the platitude, but she's spent too much time moving on from his sudden leave to reopen those old wounds again. Instead, she turns to her boyfriend of a year and smiles.

"You remember Brian Cassidy, don't you, Elliot?" Somewhere deep inside, she's trying her best to ignore the haunted look in his eyes. She can't quite place it; can't even tell if it's closer to regret or ambivalence and decides that's for the best because she doesn't know which of those would be more painful.

Elliot holds his hand out and Brian shakes it firmly.

"I do. How you doing, Cassidy?"

"Can't complain, man. Can't complain."

Olivia watches as the most important men in her life, past and present, reacquaint themselves. Her mind filled with so many unanswered questions and feelings. She considers asking Elliot to the side to talk privately, but he's long ago given up his right for any explanations. She tunes back into Brian and Elliot's conversation, hearing Brian ask him what he's been up to.

"Oh, just working at a private security company," he shrugs as if he didn't leap from sex crimes to security in one fell swoop. His eyes quickly dart to Olivia's and then in a blink, it's like he's never even looked at her."Tried to stay home after retiring from the 1-6, but I learned quickly that I can't stay still for too long."

Olivia gives a polite smile, "Bri and I were just on our way out." It's clear that she has no interest in continuing the conversation. There's so much that's gone unsaid and what's worse is that it feels like it's too late to say any of it now. And that while they didn't miss the deadline by a mile, but only a minute, the chance is still the same – gone.

Just as Elliot opens his mouth to speak, a redhead comes up behind him. Olivia watches as this mystery woman wraps her arm around Elliot, pulling him in for a kiss on the cheek. It happens so quickly, she doesn't have a chance to dwell on who this could be.

"Hey, I'm so sorry that took so long. I haven't seen her since college!" The woman says as Olivia watches Elliot smile at her before returning his attention.

"Olivia Benson, Brian Cassidy, this is Susan McNamara."

Olivia furrows her brow as she watches Brian shake hands with the woman. She's so confused.

"You're Olivia!" she smiles, "I've heard so much about you."

"Oh?" She wants to say I_ have no clue who you are or who the man you're standing next to is anymore_ but she doesn't. She just nods her head, her eyes on the woman.

"Of course! It's nice to finally meet you. Since we started dating, it's rare that Elliot introduces me to anyone."

It's out of her mouth before she can stop it. "Dating?"

Elliot clears his throat and nods. "Uh, yeah. Susan and I have been dating for about two months now."

She has so many questions she wants to ask. Questions about his marriage, questions about his job, questions about their partnership, but right now, she just wants to get the hell out of this bar and the hell away from him.

"Brian and I really have to get going. We're seeing a show and we don't want to be late, right, honey?" She turns toward him, hoping that he keeps up with this sham. They have no plans for the night, she'd just rather be anywhere but here.

Brian glances at her, knowing that she's in an uncomfortable situation. "Right. See you around, Stabler."

Elliot nods, looking Olivia in the eyes. "See you around, Cassidy. And Olivia, I'll see you later."

"Right." She scoffs before intertwining her hand with Brian's. "Later." She follows Brian from the room, purposely bumping into Elliot's shoulder on the way passed him.

Part 2

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean, that couldn't have been easy seeing him after all this time."

She sighs as she kicks her shoes off and makes her way to the couch, "I'm fine." She glances up and notices Brian's staring at her so she relents.

"Okay, it was weird."

"I guess he and his wife must've finally called it quits. Unless he's running around on her?"

She shakes her head. _That's crazy_, she wants to say. Instead, "Elliot would never do that to Kathy. They must've finally split up for good."

She sits on the couch, propping her feet on the table in front of her. Could he and Kathy have gotten divorced? It has been over two years she had seen him, anything could've happened. She feels that familiar feeling rise up and _no, no. _She has to squash that back down. She's happy with Brian. She's happy with her life now.

Elliot left her.

She watches as Brian makes his way into her kitchen, pouring himself a glass of wine and before she realizes it, she's up and off the couch, making her way to the kitchen and reaching for the glass out of Brian's hand. He looks at her in surprise and then smiles, his hands around her waist.

"You okay?"

She watches his eyes and his face. He's handsome, she's always thought so.

"Oh, I'm great." She leans for a kiss, that turns passionate quickly. She turns them around and lifts herself on to the counter top. When she pulls back, she thinks of her former partner once more before closing her eyes and whispering to Brian,

"Fuck me."

Review? More?


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